Fined for Failing to Fix Safety Flaws

Tuesday, July 19, 2016 @ 01:07 PM gHale

A Queensbury, NY, manufacturer is facing $197,820 in fines for exposing employees to uncorrected explosion hazards, as well as recurring fire and fall hazards, said officials at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

OSHA opened a follow-up investigation Jan. 13 after RWS Manufacturing Inc. failed to verify it corrected violations cited during a previous OSHA inspection.

“RWS Manufacturing has disregarded its employees’ safety in failing to correct an obvious fire and explosion hazard and in allowing the existence of new and recurring hazards,” said Robert Garvey, OSHA’s area director in Albany. “Especially disturbing is the fact that, since OSHA’s last inspection, a significant fire occurred in the plant’s production area in December 2015. For the safety and well-being of its employees RWS Manufacturing must take immediate, comprehensive and effective action to correct these hazards once and for all.”